Abstract 1792 Missing link –zinc limitation in tuberculosis pathogenesis

All living beings depend on zinc for numerous essential processes, such as enzymatic activities and protein stability. As a part of nutritional immunity, this requirement is exploited by the host to sequester zinc and other essential micronutrients and constrain the growth of fungal and bacterial pathogens. However, Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis, are resilient in the face of zinc limitation. Not only is nutritional immunity ineffective in clearing Mtb, but our group previously showed that zinc-limited Mtb are physiologically and morphologically distinct from zinc-replete Mtb.